Stevens Recognizes Impactful Students and Employees at Annual Awards Brunch

4/29/2013

Every day, members of the Stevens community go above and beyond to make the student experience on campus the best it can possibly be. Some lead student groups or organize events to build camaraderie and unite students together. Others selflessly give to others – from helping student realize their academic potential through professional societies to building houses for the homeless to planting trees in Hoboken. Still more create excitement in and out of the classroom with innovative teaching methods and personalized attention.

An impressive group of student, faculty and staff leaders at Stevens were honored on Sunday, April 28 at the 2013 Student Leadership Awards Brunch. Dozens of awards were presented by the Office of Student Life, the Student Government Association, the Student Employment Office and the DeBaun Center for Performing Arts, recognizing the awardees for their campus leadership, civic involvement and the difference they made in the lives of other members of the Stevens community.

The Office of Student Life presented four awards to 37 students and one student group.

The Distinguished Leader Award goes to upperclassmen who have continually exhibited exemplary leadership on campus by holding leadership positions in student groups and participating in academic and co-curricular activities that showcase their ability to be a positive role model to their peers. This year’s recipients included Alyssa Antropow, Drew Capone, Owen Jappen, Dana Lyons, Robert May, Zachary Moy, Theodore Poppe, Armand Rook Reyes, Esteban Roldan, Julie Wilkerson and Richard Wismer III.

The Civic Engagement/Volunteer Service Award is bestowed upon students who have shown commendable commitment to volunteering. Jared Crean, Mary Dugan, Edan Golomb, David Kleszyk, Adam McGuire, Eric Noll, Allison Outwater and Katherine Quish accepted the award in 2013.

Finally, the Student Life Campus Impact Award was given to the Return to Glory Committee, which helped to organize and promote Tech Fest 2012, Stevens’ fall student-run festival. The award is presented each year to the student organization, group or committee that has planned the most inviting, meaningful and beneficial event for the entire campus community, driven by strong student leadership and commitment.

The DeBaun Center for Performing Arts gave its annual award, the Linda Vollkommer Award, to Lauren Harpst, honoring her as the undergraduate student who did the most to advance theater at Stevens. The award is named after Stevens Women’s Fencing Coach and Associate Professor Linda Vollkommer, who has promoted student involvement in the performing arts for decades and was instrumental in the renovation of DeBaun Auditorium.

The Student Government Association presented awards to seven Stevens employees for the impact they have had in and out of the classroom.

The Distinguished Teaching Faculty Award went to Yazan Manna of the Mechanical Engineering department, recognizing the enriching learning environment he created.

Music & Technology Professor Andrew Brick received the Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award, given to a faculty member whose lessons are felt inside and outside the classroom, personally and professionally.

Kristina Krsteva won the Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award, for the TA that students benefit from the most.

The Distinguished Advisor of a Student Organization Award, which honors a Stevens employee who has positively impacted the student body through involvement in a student organization, was presented to Vollkommer.

John Nastasi of the Design and Manufacturing Institute earned the Distinguished Senior Design/Senior Research Advisor Award, which recognizes an employee who has far surpassed the role of a senior design/senior research advisor through excellent leadership and advisement.

Science & Technology Studies Professor Lee Vinsel accepted the Community Involvement Award, recognizing the impact he has made in the Stevens and Hoboken community.

The Campus Impact Award was given to Katlyn Velasco of the Office of Career Development, which is presented to a Stevens staff member who has had a profound positive impact on student life.

Finally, the Student Employment Office honored a graduate, undergraduate and federal work study student with the Undergraduate and Graduate Employee of the Year Award, recognizing them as the student workers who best exemplify reliability, quality of work, initiative, team work, and contribution to their employer. This year’s winners were Katlin Walling and Vincent Nascone.

The Student Leadership Awards are presented on an annual basis each April. Awardees are chosen by a committee based on nominations from faculty, staff and students.